Camouflage using paint tricks

Paint the trim and walls in the same colour for a look that's clean and serene.

Photograph by: Virginia Macdonald
, National Post

Hello Sam,

I need help deciding on the colour of the baseboards in my basement. In the middle of the wall, we have a ledge. I have found two colours I may use for above and below the ledge, but I have no idea whether I should paint the ledge the same colour as the wall paint or the same colour in a gloss paint, or if it should be white?

Thank You,

Chelsea

Dear Chelsea,

It's natural when we see panelling, wainscotting, chair rails and crown moulding to feel compelled to use contrasting paint colours. In the right space, using a dark colour below the chair rail and a soft colour above (or vice versa) can look glorious, especially in homes with beefy moulding, high ceilings or a country vibe. However, in homes with skinny baseboards and puzzling ledges, you will still get character and dimension by painting the walls and millwork the same colour.

You'll also eliminate what I call the racing-stripe effect, which is created by high contrast thin bright white baseboards, crown, casings and chair rails. Racing-stripe trim is, as my mother would describe my teenage wardrobe, an "assault to the eye." I should add that the racing-stripe effect can also be created with flimsy dark-stained wood trim and builder's beige paint.

Uniform colour on walls and millwork will take care of a busy backdrop, marry different styles of moulding, and give you a cohesive and less chopped-up canvas to decorate. I apply this decorating device to every room I design where architectural details are lacking. In bedrooms, I paint closets, panelling and shelves the same colour. In living rooms, mantles, built-ins and baseboards and crown get painted the same colour.

But if your heart is set on two colours, then paint the walls and ceilings above the ledge a light colour and paint the ledge or chair rail walls and baseboards a dark colour. Use a flat finish on the walls and an eggshell finish on the trim (baseboards and ledge).

Because your ledge is in the basement where the ceilings are lower than the rest of your home, I would suggest painting everything - yes, every last bit of wall, ceiling and trim - all one colour. Not only will you make the room feel less clut-tered, you'll make the ceiling feel higher.

If your basement has bulkheads, it's really important that you eliminate the colour contrast between the ceiling and walls to make the bulkheads recede. This contrasting colour principle can be applied to all aspects of decorating. If you have a dark sofa and light walls, the sofa will appear larger and become a focus in the room. If you have a light sofa and light walls, the sofa will recede and become part of the room's backdrop.

As far as colour, a dark colour will work with light floors. Too many dark elements in a basement can feel like you're in a mineshaft. I'm partial to warm white and shades of sand and clay - they're foolproof.

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